New Jersey student suspended for calling himself white, African, American

[jundp 191]

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.

Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was ``white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.

He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself ``African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.

Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.

His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.

The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.

Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.

University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.

source

[Sofiyya 1,687]

That's f'd up!

[jundp 191]

I know.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Beyond jaded.

[-B&T- 1]

poor guy....

[Ban Hammer 12,861]

He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself ``African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=194994

Edited May 12, 2009 by charles!

[DeadPoolX 9]

Reminds me of my brother's best friend. He was born in Africa (his parents were there on business of some sort) and his parents were American citizens. When he came back to the U.S., he was told that he couldn't call himself an "African American" since he wasn't black. He was a little confused since he was an American and born in Africa. It only seemed logical that he'd be an "African American."

[Marilyn. 340]

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) --

He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself ``African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.

Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.

His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.

The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.

source

the bolded part is what I don't get.. were the other students suspended too for harassing him and vandalizing his car ??

Edited May 12, 2009 by *Marilyn*

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm guessing there's more to the story.

The whole situation sounds kind of stupid.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.

Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was ``white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.

He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself ``African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.

Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.

His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.

The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.

Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.

University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.

source

He is a true African American. He was born in AFRICA!!!!

[natty bumppo 289]

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.

Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was ``white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.

He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself ``African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.

Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.

His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.

The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.

Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.

University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.

source

He is a true African American. He was born in AFRICA!!!!

stop making sense ...

[Saddle Bronc 124]

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (AP) -- A former student claims in a lawsuit that the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey discriminated against him for the way he described his background in classroom discussions on cultural diversity.

Paulo Serodio said that in 2006, he told a professor and classmates that he was ``white, African, American,'' which he says accurately reflects the fact that he was born in Mozambique but later became a U.S. citizen.

He said some classmates and staff members at New Jersey Medical School found it offensive that a Caucasian man would call himself ``African-American'' and that the fallout led to harassment and eventually his suspension from the school.

Serodio, who lives in Newark, said some school employees and students told him not to describe himself as ``African-American.'' In the aftermath of his comments, Serodio said, flyers were hung around the school mocking him, he was assaulted and his car was vandalized.

His lawyer, Gregg Zeff, said Serodio eventually was suspended for ``conduct unbecoming'' a student.

The suspension came directly from his remarks in class, Zeff said.

Serodio filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday. He is seeking damages from the university and several faculty members and administrators.

University spokesman Jeffrey Tolvin said he could not comment because the university had not seen the lawsuit.

source

He is a true African American. He was born in AFRICA!!!!

:thumbs:

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It doesn't make a great deal of sense though.

1) It doesn't say whether the guy lived/grew up in Africa or was just born there. I don't know about anyone else - but I wouldn't lay claim to a label of origin unless I had lived in the country for a time or if my parents were from there.

2) The phrase "African American" has a different context in this country - and its a label given to people who have never set foot in Africa, or indeed - who might not be from there at all but have no way of tracing their specific origins.

That doesn't take away from the fact that the abuse suffered by the guy is wrong in the extreme - but I think its reasonable to wonder why the guy would be apparently clueless about the contextual meaning of the phrase, and indeed of how sensitive racial issues are. The guy lives in Newark for God's sake!

[natty bumppo 289]

It doesn't make a great deal of sense though.

1) It doesn't say whether the guy lived/grew up in Africa or was just born there. I don't know about anyone else - but I wouldn't lay claim to a label of origin unless I had lived in the country for a time or if my parents were from there.

2) The phrase "African American" has a different context in this country - and its a label given to people who have never set foot in Africa, or indeed - who might not be from there at all but have no way of tracing their specific origins.

That doesn't take away from the fact that the abuse suffered by the guy is wrong in the extreme - but I think its reasonable to wonder why the guy would be apparently clueless about the contextual meaning of the phrase, and indeed of how sensitive racial issues are. The guy lives in Newark for God's sake!

unless you were born on US soil and could claim citizenship for simply being born.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

African American isn't a "nationality" though. Its a statement that implies some sort of cultural/ancestral origin - more than anything else.

Being born there doesn't make you "of" there - otherwise someone could claim to be culturally Japanese because they happened to be born there during a 2 week vacation.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Private Pike